Editing Ataxia (section)

=== Sensory ===
The term [[sensory ataxia]] is used to indicate ataxia due to loss of [[proprioception]], the loss of sensitivity to the positions of joint and body parts. This is generally caused by dysfunction of the [[dorsal columns]] of the spinal cord, because they carry proprioceptive information up to the brain. In some cases, the cause of sensory ataxia may instead be dysfunction of the various parts of the brain that receive positional information, including the cerebellum, [[thalamus]], and [[parietal lobe]]s.<ref name="pmid9184691"/>

Sensory ataxia presents itself with an unsteady "stomping" gait with heavy [[heel]] strikes, as well as a postural instability that is usually worsened when the lack of proprioceptive input cannot be compensated for by [[visual perception|visual input]], such as in poorly lit environments.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sensory Ataxia |url=https://www.physio-pedia.com/Sensory_Ataxia |access-date=2022-10-19 |website=Physiopedia |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | vauthors = Ruppert L, Kendig T  |title=A Pt Intervention for a Patient with Sensory Ataxia in the Acute Care Oncology Setting |date=2012 |url=https://journals.lww.com/rehabonc/Citation/2012/30010/A_PT_INTERVENTION_FOR_A_PATIENT_WITH_SENSORY.10.aspx |journal=Rehabilitation Oncology |language=en-US |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=24–25 |doi=10.1097/01893697-201230010-00010 |issn=2168-3808|doi-access=free }}</ref>

Physicians can find evidence of sensory ataxia during [[physical examination]] by having patients stand with their feet together and [[Human eye|eye]]s shut. In affected patients, this will cause the instability to worsen markedly, producing wide oscillations and possibly a fall; this is called a positive [[Romberg's test]]. Worsening of the finger-pointing test with the eyes closed is another feature of sensory ataxia. Also, when patients are standing with arms and hands extended toward the physician, if the eyes are closed, the patients' fingers tend to "fall down" and then be restored to the horizontal extended position by sudden muscular contractions (the "ataxic hand").<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Halmágyi GM, Curthoys IS | title = Vestibular contributions to the Romberg test: Testing semicircular canal and otolith function | journal = European Journal of Neurology | volume = 28 | issue = 9 | pages = 3211–3219 | date = September 2021 | pmid = 34160115 | doi = 10.1111/ene.14942 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Forbes J, Munakomi S, Cronovich H | chapter = Romberg Test |date=2024 | title = StatPearls | chapter-url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK563187/ |access-date=2024-04-16 |place=Treasure Island (FL) |publisher=StatPearls Publishing |pmid=33085334 }}</ref>